hayden



2- sheets-sheet 2 (No Mdel.)

H. I'. HAYDEN.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FROM HYDROGARBONS AND UTILIZING THE SAME IN PURNAGES.

. UNrTED STATES Arum* f irren.

HENRY F. HAYDEN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATINAG GAS FROM HYDRGCARBGNS AND Ul'lLlZlNG THE SAM iN FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,597, dated March 27, 1883.

Application filed February B, 1883M (Xo model.)

Io all cham it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. HAYDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington cit-y, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Vaporizin g Hydrocarbon and Generating Gas and for Utilizing the Same in Metallurgie and other Processes; and I hereby 'declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description ot the same, reference being had to the accom panyingdrawings,in which- Figure l is a vertical central section of devices embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar section of the due for escape of waste products.

Like letters reler to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of apparatus adapted either, first, to the simple vaporization ot' liquid hydrocarbons in the formation of a temporary gas for immediate use, or, secondly,to the production of a permanentor fixed gas, when such is desired; and while in many particulars the devices are of general utility for the purposes specified, they are preeminently Vfitted for conducting metallurgie processes -suchj as reducing ores, refining metal, Ste-for melting glass, and many like manufacturing processes.

The main objects in view are, first, such a relative arrangement of the generator and working-chamber that the full heating effect of the combustion of the gas shall be utilized in the generation thereof 5 secondly, such relative arrangement of the parts that the waste heatof the escaping products shallbe utilized in the preliminary or primary steps of generating the gas by heating the air and steam which are to be combined with the hydrocarbon; thirdly, such a construction ot' the generator as will avoid the deposit of carbon therein and facilitate the cleaning of the generator; and, finally, to obtain so simplel a construction as shall render the apparatus com parativelyinexpensive, durable, and readily repaired. There are minor objects and points of construction,-

4which will hereinafter'more fully appear.

I have elected to show the devices in connection with a metallurgie furnace for reducing ores, but disclaim any limitation thereto.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

Inv the drawings, A indicates a stack suitable for reducing ores, and which in general exterior construction may correspond with those in ordinary use, or be ot' any approved construction. Arranged vertically and centrally thereof is the generatorchamher B, supported below by a water-chamber, G, which converts the hearth into an annular Crucible, a, provided with suitable tapholes, a', and slagports a?. f

In constructing the generator-chamber B, I prefer to arrange in the upper threefourths (more or less) a central or inner tube, b,which forms the lining of the air-chamber, said tube having a flange, b', above, by which it is suspended or supported from the top ot' the stack, and a flange, b2, below, which supports the surrounding or inclosing fire-brick or 'equivalent refractory covering. The generator-chamber B can be made in one piece(withoutjoint) by ramming the material around a core, and a water-jacketed tube, b', may be employed, if desired. The water-chamber t) (may be metal-lined, if desired, best boiler-iron being preferable) occupies the center of the Crucible, and is provided With a supply-pipe, c, which delivers into the upper portion of the chamber, and avalved waste-pipe, C', the valve (c2) of which is so set as to insure a constant and uniform flow of Vthe Water through chamber C.

c3 indicates supports 01 pillars arranged in, the water-chamber C to assist in supportingl the superimposed column. l

The section D of the generator-chamber, wherein are four or more inclined gasports, d, (or burners,) is built n p of firebrick, and as this is the portion ofthe generator-chamber (or of the furnace) which most frequently requires repair I have suspended the section B, as before specified, and provided a series of doors, d', so that the section D can be torn out and rebuilt withoutdisturbin g the rest ofthe stack.

E E indicate hoppers provided with valves e c, through which the ore to be reduced is charged into the furnace. Instead of the common hopper and valve, (shown for purposes of illustratiom) an y ofthe well-known or approved forms of trap feed devices may be substituted.

Gr indicates the generator, which is composed ot' a series ot iianged tunnels or hollow frusta, g, which decrease in size from above downward, so that the vapors, die., in their passage through the generator must impinge on the inner surface ot' each cone. This in- IOS s n M4597 sures the thorough intermingling of the steam and hydrocarbon, and prevents any deposit of carbon in the generator. It is desirable that the opening at the apex of the final cone should correspondwith that of the outlet-pipe, so that any possible deposit may he driven into and through the exit-pipe to the nozzle. These flanged frusta g are arranged one above another in thegenerator G, and above the upper frusta is a perforated deecting-disl, g', arranged under the inlet-pipe g2, to break up and disseminate the incoming vapors. This generatorB is suspended centrally of the air-chamber F, and is provided with an exit-pipe, g3, that terminates in a coniform nozzle or burner, g4, having a series of openings which corre spond in number and position with the inclined gas-ports d.

With relation to the workingchamber A, I have described the preferred construction, not for purposes of limitation, as the only essential is the vertical central position of the generator-chamber, but in order to indicate what I deem to be the best manner of carrying out the invention.

In connection with or at one side ofthe working-chamber or stack A, I erect a tower, H, which l connect above with stack A byaiiue, H', and below with a chimney by a iiue, H2, which may be guarded by a suitable damper, and at the base of tower H, I place a furnace, I, which delivers into tower H. rlhis furnace I is only employed for the preliminary heating of the tower, e., in starting lthe generator.`

K indicates the air or blast pipe, provided with a valve, k, and' connected with a suitable blastengine or fan. This pipe enters the tower, preferably at its upper part, and after being coiled therein', as at K' K', extends through flue H' and connects with air-chamber F, surrounding generator B. The coils K' K' may, if it is found necessary, be covered with iireclay, or any composition which will lprotect them from injurious effects of wast'e gases. Such a covering is indicated by the outer circle.

Arranged centrally within the tower H is a superheating coil, L, which receives steam through an inlet-pipe, l,provded with a. valve, l', and delivers the su perheated steam through pipe l2, which is also provided with a valve, L3, and connects with the pipe g2, which delivers into the generator G. Within and at the base of tower H a water or drip tank, t, may be placed, if desired, to hold water or catch any vapors which may condense within the tower, and just above the same is a small door, h, which may be used when access to the tower 1s necessary. The base of tower His connected with a suitable chimney, M, by the horizontal flue H2, (see Fig. 2,) which is provided at suitable intervals with iioor-poclrets P, inclined toward the line of draft'to induce an eddy in the current, and cause the deposit of any tine particles of metal which might otherwise be carried off with the escaping'waste products. This flue H2 should be sufficientlylong to permit the cooling of the waste products and the condensation and deposit of any vaporized metals. 7 O indicates an oil-pipe which connects with a suitable reservoir, whence the hydrocarbon is pumped or otherwise forced to the generator. This pipe is provided with a suitable valve, 0, and connects with the pipe g2, which delivers into generator G.

The construction of the vapparatus being substantially such as hereinbefore specified, the process of vaporizinghydrocarbons, generating gas, Src., will be conducted therein as follows: For the preliminary heating of the apparatus a ire, preferably of wood or coke, (so as to avoid sulphur and other deleterious gases,) is lighted in furnace l, and the valves e e of hoppers E E are opened, so that the` products of combustion from furnace I will pass through tower H, around the air-pipes K' and-superheater L, through iiue H', and out of the stack A. As soon as the air-blast and steam have reached the required temperature the valve o of the oil-pipe 0 is opened and the requisite quantity or stream of hydrocarbon oil is forced into pipe g2. The valve Z3 is then opened sufficiently far vto deliver the requisite quantity of superheated steam, which mingles with and vaporizes the oil, and the whole mixture passes into the generator G, where a thorough admixture takes place by the passage of the vapors, under pressure, through the series of vconical frusta. In the meanwhile, the valve k of the air-pipe K having been opened, the highly-heated air-blast passes from coil K' into air-chamber F, and thence down to the coniform nozzle or burner I gf, where it mingles with the issuing admixture of oil and steam, and is ignited at the mouth of the inclined passage d. The downward inclination of passages d pixjects the flame into the crucible in the most advantageous manner. The admixture 'of hydrocarbon vapor, steam, &c., having been ignited at the ports d, the central generator-chamber, as well as the surrounding furnace, will soon become so highly heated that the fire in preliminary furnace I can be dispensed with. When this time arrives the valves e e of hoppers E E are closed, the iire in furnace Z allowed to go out, and the products of combustion will then rise'in the workingchamber or stack A, pass through the ue H', descend in tower H, and escape through flue H2 to the chimney. W'hen the stack A or working-chamber has been brought to the desired temperature, thenore to be reduced, the metal to be treated, or whatever is to be operated upon may be charged into the furnace through hoppers E E, doors d', or othern wise, and will be acted on by the flame is'- suing through ports d, while the waste products so rising in the stack and passing through tower H will supply all the heat necv13u essary to render the vaporization of the hydrocarbon or the generation'of the gas constant and automatic. By properly propor- IOO IZO

tioning and regulating the admission of superheated steam and-hydrocarbons, which can be done by means of valves Z3 and o, either a simple vaporgas or a permanent fixed gas may be obtained at will. When ores ormetals are treated, as in the reduction ot' ores, the products of combustion, after leaving tower H, are conducted through a due, H2, having pockets I), wherein any fine particles of metal carried by the current will be deposited, and if the flue H is made sufficiently long to permit the cooling of the waste products, any vaporized 4matters which are condensable will also be deposited in pockets P and inay be recovered. In case it should he necessary at any time to clear the generator G,thevalve o ofthe oil-pipe may be closed to shut oft the oil-supply, and the valve Z3 of the superheated-steam vpipe opened full head, so as to cause a blast of steam to pass through the generator, which will at once `remove any carbon or other 0bstructing matter. v

I am aware that in reducing ores in the blast-furnace it has been proposed to introduce hydrocarbon liquids, vapors, and gases into the reducing-zone ot' the furnace or stack,l

and that for such purposes an oil or vapor pipe surrounded by an air-pipe has been inserted in the upper part ofthe stack and extended down through the charge to the reducing-zone of the blast-furnace; and Ido not herein claim such devices, first, because the pipe and air-jacket do not constitute a vaporizer or generator, and could not so operate; secondly, because the relative arrangement of the devices with respect to. the hearth is not such as will enable the parts to coact in the generation and utilization oi gas for general manufacturing purposes, as hereinbefore set forth.

I am also aware that condensing and collecting pockets have heretofore been employedas, for instance, in the manufacture. of white zinc, and therefore do not broadly claim such devices.

Having thus fully described my invention and the advantages to be derived therefrom, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbonsaud generating` gas and utilizing the same for manufacturing purposes, the combination, with the furnace or working-chamber, of a centrally-arranged generatingchamber, and a generator or vaporizer suspended therein, substantiaily as and for the purpose specitied.

2. In apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbons, generating gases, die., and utilizing the same for manufacturing purposes, the combination of a working-chamber provided with a centrally-arranged generator-chamber, a gen-` erator or vaporizer suspended in the genera tor-chamber, a blast-pipe communicating with the generator-chamber, a chamber which incloses the blast-pipe and communicates with the working-chamber, and a supplemental fue. nace which communicates with the blast-pipe chamber, substantially as and for the purpose specified. l

3. In apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbons, generating gas, Sto., and utilizing the same for manufacturing purposes, the combination of a working-chamber provided with a central or inclosed generator-chamber, a gener ator suspended therein, a blast-pipe communieating with the generator-chamber, a superheater communicating with the generator, a. chamber which incluses the blast-pipe and superheater, an oil-supply pipe, and a supplemental furnace, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

et. In apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbons, generating gas, o., and utilizing the same for manufacturing purposes, the combinations of a Working-chamber provided with a centrally-arranged or inclosed generatonchaml ber, a generator suspended therein, a blastpipe communicating with the generator-chamber, a superheater communicating with the generator, an oil-supply pipe communicating with the-steam-pipe, a chamber inclosing the blast-pipe and superheater and communicating with the Working chamber, and a suitable chimney, substantially as and for the purpose specied. l

5.- In apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbons and generating gas, and for utilizing the same for manufacturing purposes, the combination,with a Working-chamber, of a centrally-arranged generator-chamber, a generator suspended therein, so as to form a surrounding air-heating chamber, a series of air-ports connecting the base of the generator-chamber ICO with the working-chamber, a gas or vapor pipe flanged suspended pipe inclosed by hre-brick l or refractory material supported on the flange ofthe anged pipe, substantially as and for thepurpose speci-lied.

7. The horizontal escape-flue having a series of drift-pockets in the tloor thereof', the rear Walls of said pockets inclined at an angle to the line of draft, to arrest and retain matters deposited from the waste products, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with a workingchamber or hearth, of a centrally-arran ged generator-chamber having the doWnwardly-project-v ing gasdelivery' ports, which deliver the vgas into the crucible and in a direction away from the generator-chamber, substantially as and `for the purpose specified.

In testimony Whereot'I presence oi' two witnesses, this 7th day of Febaiiix my signature,in 

